


Can't handle the heat

by GhostZone



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Autistic Spencer Reid, Behavioral Analysis Unit (Criminal Minds), Bullying, Child Spencer Reid, Diana Reid is doing her best, Hurt Spencer Reid, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Sad Spencer Reid, Sick Spencer Reid, Sort Of, Spencer Reid Angst, Spencer Reid Needs a Hug, Spencer Reid Whump, Sunburn, Violence, Young Spencer Reid, but it’s definitely implied, not explicitly stated, shes just sick, someone pls help this kid, spencer has an owie and its implied its from Diana, why is that a tag?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-19 11:54:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29874261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostZone/pseuds/GhostZone
Summary: Everyone knew Spencer hated the heat, but they didn’t know why.Just like everyone knew that Spencer always seemed to wear the most layers when it was hottest, but couldn’t for the life of them find a reason for it.
Kudos: 80





	Can't handle the heat

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the goalpost incident.  
> I put a warning for abuse because it’s loosely mentioned that an injury Spencer has is because Diana was having a bad day.  
> This work contains descriptions of bullying, extremely loose mentions of ableism, brief mention of vomiting, and a small discussion of sensory issues.  
> -All sensory issues and repetition issues described are something i have personally struggled with-

Everyone knew Spencer hated the heat, but they didn’t know why.

Just like everyone knew that Spencer always seemed to wear the most layers when it was hottest, but couldn’t for the life of them find a reason for it.

How could they?

Spencer was a closed book, his family was a mystery, his past was a mystery,  _ he  _ was a mystery.

It was 100 degrees out, and they watched as beads of sweat rolled down his temples, his face flushed with red that traveled down his neck, disappearing under the thick baggy sweater that encased him like a blanket. 

_ Spencer was twelve, limping to school in the blistering heat. His mother had a bad day yesterday, and he couldn’t force himself through the pain to get up in time to catch the bus. Not that he wanted to, the bus was a bad place, the bus meant he was confined to one spot without anyone who cared enough to protect him from the other kids' torment. _

_ He made it to school alright, save for the light sunburn that had begun to appear across his cheeks. The day went how it normally would, insults, the occasional shove or snicker as he sprawled out onto the floor after a foot was purposely stuck out to trip him. He had no reason to believe it would become one of the most haunting days of his life.  _

_ The final bell had rung and he made his way to the library for after school tutoring. He didn’t particularly enjoy tutoring other students, they didn’t like him, didn’t like his abnormal mannerisms. They glared at him in disgust when he’d repeat what they’d said before replying, huffed in annoyance as they watched him rock slightly back and forth. But he was getting paid, and as his mothers good days became far and in between, tutoring became a necessary evil. _

_ “Spencer?” He was startled as he looked up from where he was sitting. Tatiana Park was staring down at him. _

_ “Spencer?” He turned beet red as the repetition left his mouth before he could stop it. “Sorry I- what did you need?” _

_ “Alexa Lisbon asked for you to meet her outside by the sports shed,” Tatiana looked him up and down with a smirk he couldn’t quite understand. _

_ “For tutoring?” He asked. _

_ “Mm, something like that,” she gave him one last once over before turning on her heels and walking out through the library doors. _

_ Spencer was confused, what did ‘something like that’ mean? He wasn’t naive, he knew Alexa wouldn’t call for him because she had taken an interest in anything other than his brain. Maybe she wanted him to complete an assignment for her? Other students had offered to pay him if he’d write a last minute essay, or complete their maths homework the hour before it was due. He settled that it was just something academic, and perhaps she was embarrassed to be seen talking to him. _

_ He made his way to the sports shed, trying to ignore the pain that snaked up his leg from his ankle, and the throbbing heat of his already sunburnt cheeks. _

_ “A-Alexa?” He cursed himself for stuttering as he called for her, this was exactly why she didn’t want to be seen with him. _

_ “Spencer, ah you actually came. Do you know why you're here?” Alexa appeared from behind the shed, walking close enough he could smell her vanilla perfume and see the small specks of glitter in her lip gloss. _

_ “Do you know why you’re here?” If his face wasn’t already visibly red from his sunburn, it surely was now. “School? Did you need me to tutor you… or maybe help with an assignment?” _

_ Alexa gave a cruel chuckle, gazing at him like he was prey about to be slaughtered.  _

_ “Christ, I knew you were a freak, but I didn’t know you were dim.” _

_ Spencer didn’t even have time to mutter out a complete ‘what’ before two large hands grabbed him from behind. He kicked, and struggled, and tried to wiggle himself out of the hold, but it was useless. He was weak, and these hands were strong. Two more boys walked out from behind the shed, he recognized these two, they were on the football team. The hands that grabbed him held him firmly in place as the two other boys began wailing on him. Throwing strike after strike, leaving a sticky trail of blood that streamed from his nose into his mouth. They continued to beat him mercilessly until he was thrown to the ground, choking on his own bile, as his head hit the concrete with a sickening crack. His vision blurred as he retched onto the ground, muttering slurred pleas to leave him alone. He couldn’t see what was happening, hell he could barely hear what was happening over the deafening ringing that burst in his ears when his head hit the ground, but he could feel hands holding him down, while others tugged at his clothes. They didn’t even need to hold him down, despite how hard he was trying to struggle, he could barely move an inch.  _

_ He heard distant, foggy laughter as he was dragged somewhere. He felt the concrete turn into grass on his bare feet, and then he was lifted into a standing position. His hands were twisted behind his back, bound together in rope, old rope, he felt the disgusting texture as each fiber seemed to dig into his skin, traveling through his veins, bringing about a painful itching sensation that forced a pained whine out of his mouth as he grinded his molars together. _

_ There was more laughter, so much laughter, so loud, all blending together and turning to mush in his brain. _

_ There was something hot and metal pressed against his bare back, it felt like being branded with a fire poker, straight from the flames. _

_ His vision began to clear in small pieces, he could make out foggy figures, staring at him in amusement. He saw a bright flash from a camera before, mercifully, everything faded to black as he lost consciousness. _

_ When he came to, all he knew was heat. Scorching metal pressed against his back, rays from the sun beating down on his naked form, turning into throbbing waves of heat.  _

_ Hot, he was so hot. And thirsty, his skin should be slick with sweat but everything felt so dry, so hot. _

_ Sobs, pitiful sobs escaped his lips as he cried out. His vision cleared and he could see everyone was no longer there.  _

_ He struggled against the dry ropes, they felt like sandpaper against his raw wrists, ugly whines and whimpers of pain pushing past his lips with every move he made. He stared down at his unclothed body, red with sunburn where it wasn’t covered in newly forming bruises. More sobs escaped his lips, humiliated and agony filled sobs, as he continued to try to break free from his restraints and pull away from the blistering heat of the metal pole. _

_ They had beat him. _

_ They had humiliated him. _

_ They had tied him to a goalpost and left him to burn. _

  
  



End file.
